It’s an impressive set of features. Network. Height, with feet: 4-1/8" (105 mm) They apparently compromised way too much on the components to meet the price target. In the world of hi-fi amplifiers, lots of features often means a compromised sonic performance. Parasound was founded in 1981 by Richard Schram, and the company has been offering audio products under their own name as well as for OEM sales since then. Depth, with cables 17" (432 mm) At far right are the fuse bay, the main power switch, and a three-pronged IEC power inlet. The only control on the faceplate, an On/Off button in the lower-left corner, is set into a flute, or rounded groove, that runs the entire width of the thick faceplate -- when the A 23+ is turned on, this button is illuminated in a soft blue that makes it seem to float above the groove, and nicely complements the two vertical pinstripes of gold at far left and right. I preconditioned the amplifier by operating it at one-third the specified power into 8 ohms for an hour. The A 23+ can be switched between its Stereo and Bridged Mono modes with a single toggle switch between the sets of left- and right-channel inputs -- in bridged mode, the Halo A 23+ delivers an astounding 500W into 8 ohms throughout the entire audioband (20Hz-20kHz). The Parasound managed just fine without it. ", ON-OFF  (Spain) September, 2019 During my time with the Halo A 23+, these never reddened. While I’d never thought the NAD lacked for power, the Parasound offered much more, and was able to deliver it with greater control across the audioband. Re. It supplies a surprising amount of understandable technical information in regard to … "Doing so has proved that extremely high performance-per-dollar is still possible today when a company leverages decades of experience, and is spearheaded by a legend." The second amp I have never had a problem with. With small-combo jazz, the Halo A 23+ offered detail, precision, accuracy, and well-balanced tonality. < 0.03 % at typical listening levels, Inter-channel Crosstalk . To contact us, please e-mail info@soundstagenetwork.com, Rotel RB-1582 MkII Stereo Power Amplifier, Musical Fidelity M6i Integrated Amplifier, Definitive Technology Mythos ST-L SuperTower Loudspeakers. Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity, November 2020, Refined Halo cosmetic with aluminum end caps & gold highlights, Updated rear panel with heavy duty speaker terminals from HINT 6, Upgraded internal gold on gold audio connections, 160 watts x 2 @ 8 Ω RMS, both channels driven, 240 watts x 2 @ 4 Ω RMS, both channels driven, Circuitry designed by legendary John Curl, Stable with speaker impedance dips below 2 Ω, Heavy-duty 24k gold-plated 5-way speaker binding posts, Gold-plated RCA input & loop output jacks, Direct-coupled signal path, no capacitors or inductors, AC turn-on inrush surge protection with relay bypass, 12 beta-matched 15 ampere, 60 MHz bipolar output transistors, 1.1 kVA shielded toroid transformer w/ independent windings for each channel, Independent power supplies for input stage, driver stage and output stage, 54,400 µF filter capacitors for output stages, Full power is rated all the way down to 5Hz for unrestricted low-end bass, Harris hyper-fast soft-recovery bridge diode rectifiers, Automatic turn-on by 12 V trigger or audio sensing, 2 rack space chassis with rear carry handles. Although the two amps share some specifications, in terms of sound the Parasound consistently bested the NAD. Bridged 4 Ω operation is not recommended The power cord provided was, appropriately, quite a bit heavier than that provided with a typical component. Frustrated, and for the sake of this review, I was forced to speculate about the nature of accurate and neutral. The consistently very supple reproduction and simultaneously true-to-size presentation and pin-point positioning of individual instruments and voices is amazing. Bridged 4 Ω operation is not recommended, Power Output – Bridged Mode (0.9% THD) 160 watts x 2, 8 Ω both channels driven There are independent power supplies for its input, driver, and output stages. Available in black with gold labeling, like the review sample, or in silver with black labeling, the A 23 measures 17 1/4”W x 4 1/8”H x 13 1/4”D and weighs a hefty 28 pounds. *All Power measurement are at 120 VAC, < 0.06 % at full power Parasound Halo A23 $995 Parasound’s A23 isn’t the last word in low-end authority, and it’s a bit cool in the midrange, but what it lacks in oomph it makes up for in finesse and pitch definition. Additionally, Parasound's A21 just won an … Features include c ircuitry designed by legendary John Curl, upgraded power output, transformer, filter capacitance, internal connections, speaker terminals and cosmetics. 4 Distinct Product Lines. But thanks to better technology and improved design, things are changing. An impressive power amplifier." One incredibly appealing preamp-amplifier package from Parasound.". I … > 107 dB, input shorted, unweighted, DC Trigger Requirements 110-125 VAC 60 Hz or 220-250 VAC 50 Hz (With a class-AB output stage, one-third power results in the maximum dissipation in the output devices.) "Parasound provides great value in the Halo A 23+. Sticker shock, and a lot of good reviews online and from friends with their amps, led me to Emotiva. The A23 was not considered one of the best efforts at Parasound. 500 watts x 1, 8 Ω The Halo A 23+ drove my Sonus Faber Principia 3 minimonitors. This sounds like an Amplifier made for movies, and I think it will do well in that section. A fully "in spec" A23 won’t ever get more than mildly warm, even when pushed fairly hard into a nominal 4 Ohm load (air circulation normal). It has outputs for a subwoofer and the option to set the crossover frequency. > 70 dB at 20 kHz, Input Impedance Its rectangular metal faceplate has rounded plastic end plates at left and right, a case of folded sheet metal, and most of its top plate is pierced by ventilation slots. 1 = Ground (Shield) The weaknesses pointed out: overheating and weak bass CAN be a problem, but they can be overcome, and the end result is a great amplifier. The Parasound elevated this recording -- its introduction builds a gradual crescendo with layers of instruments that then suddenly cut out, leaving only Amos’s voice and acoustic piano. Unbalanced: 1 V I found that the Halo A 23+, given enough breathing space on top, ran cooler than my NAD C 356BEE integrated amplifier. Parasound provides great value in the Halo A 23+ power amplifier. Height, without feet: 3-1/2" (89 mm), 2U, Shipping Weight Both channels are driven, with 150 watts-per-channel into 8 ohms. Outstanding! Parasound serves both the consumer and professional markets; their products have been used by multiple Oscar-winning sound designers, from such studios as Lucasfilm, Pixar, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Parasound currently makes preamplifiers and phono preamplifiers; mono, stereo, and multichannel power amplifiers; and integrated amplifiers; in the past they’ve offered AM/FM tuners, loudspeakers, preamplifier-processors, CD players, and DACs. Meet the Halo A 23+ and enjoy performance upgrades for cleaner, ultra-low distortion sound, revised front panel cosmetics, and a revised rear panel layout offering enhanced features, too. There are other lights -- tiny LEDs that glow blue to indicate that each channel is functioning properly, red to warn of overheating. 2 = Positive Power Output – Stereo Mode (0.06% THD) After 15 years of devoted service, Parasound has retired its beloved Halo A 21 amplifier. That’s why we’ve had decades of purist amplifiers that have sported little more than source selection, a volume control, and a remote if you’re lucky. 45 amps peak, per channel, Slew Rate The company's new NewClassic 200 Integrated is, as you might well guess, an integrated amplifier, with a high-quality onboard digital-to-analog converter section. Parasound Halo A 23 - power amplifier | A23. The Halo A 23+ was designed by engineer John Curl, who’s well known in audio circles, and since the 1990s has designed many amplifiers for Parasound. There are also A/B speaker terminals with individual on/off functions. High bias Class A/AB operation. . At far left are some interesting alternatives to turning on the amp with its front-panel On/Off button. The output-stage transistors support high current levels and are extremely fast (60MHz), to tame transient intermodulation distortion. AC mains voltage is set on rear panel, LowBeats (Germany) November 2020 Parasound calls the Halo Integrated a 2.1 channel amplifier. There’s a dedicated preamp feed too. I was impressed by its quietness, the amount of power it could swiftly deliver, and its tremendous dynamic range. Its replacement, the Halo A 21+, is priced a little higher at $2,995. The sound has been superb. i'm looking at upgrading my amp which is a NAD C320BEE. Standby: <1 Watt 20 Hz - 20 kHz, +0/-0.25 dB, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) RMS continuous power, full audio band (20 Hz - 20 kHz), Current Capacity It is stylish, packs sufficient amplification power, and delivers solid high-fidelity sonic performance. The two binding posts support speaker cables up to 10AWG. Parasound's power amp is able to bring out the best bass from speakers. Description Since 1981, Richard Schram, founder and CEO of Parasound Products, Inc., has built the brand on making audio components that look and sound expensive, but sell for much less than it appears they should. I haven't heard better sound or seen higher build quality at this price. Access (formerly GoodSound!) The rambunctious second movement of Bruckner’s large-scale Symphony No.9 delivers deliberate punch in energetically throbbing unison ostinato in the recording with Gustavo Dudamel leading the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (24/48 AIFF, Deutsche Grammophon/HDtracks), and the Parasound delivered room-filling sound, the timpani extending deep into the low bass without congestion. Parasound’s feature-packed high-end amplifier is a knockout. i'm considering NAD C272/C162 or Parasound A23/P3 or possibly the NAD C372. Unbalanced: 33 kΩ The NewClassic 200 Integrated is a modification of Parasound’s NewClassic 200 Pre-Amp, meaning it’s pretty much the same unit with the addition of an amp section. STEREOPHILE PARASOUND on display: PARASOUND HALO A23+ stereo power amp, 160-240W/ch JC1* Power amps, 400- 1200W/ch JC3jr* Phono preamp P6* Stereo preamp with built-in DAC Stereo Integrated Amp with built-in DAC PARASOUND CLASSIC 2100 Stereo preamp 2125 stereo power amp, 125-200W/ch PARASOUND Z - Only 9.5" wide! Yes, this is how HiFi is fun." "Parasound has chosen to take a staple core product that has remained an exceptional value for over fifteen years, the Halo A21 amplifier, and re-spin it into the Halo A21+," reports Michael Zisserson at positive-feedback.com. My NAD integrated has two preamp-level outputs, one of them tied with a coupler to the main input to allow the NAD to be used as a preamp or power amp, which made it easy to compare the NAD’s power-amp section with the Halo A 23+. When my source was Cambridge’s CXN (V2) network player, what most impressed me about the Halo A 23+ was its clarity in the delicate introductory solo of Saint-Saëns’s Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso for Violin and Orchestra, performed by soloist Leila Josefowicz with Sir Neville Marriner conducting the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, on their Bohemian Rhapsodies (16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC, Philips). Yes I know the Fortes have quite good bass extension. ", Soundstage Network  July 2019Reviewer's Choice I connected the Halo A 23+’s 12V trigger using the mono interconnect included with Parasound’s NewClassic 200 Pre preamplifier, also in for review, and set the A 23+ to turn itself on when the 200 Pre sent a trigger signal. Moreover, this reasonably priced amp is musically quite involving. The Emo has less power 50W @ 8ohms VS 125W @ 8 ohms, but Emo is just more musical to me (so is the HCA 3500). Balanced: 66 kΩ,(33 kΩ per leg), Input Sensitivity for 28.28 V Out (8 Ω Load) Parasound Halo, ZoneMaster, Z Custom, and NewClassic are four distinct product families. An impressive power amplifier. As Sherman traversed his instrument’s range, I could follow the movements of his mallets across the soundstage with the A 23+. Some audio products impose their own signature on the sound of any recording played through them, but the Halo A 23+ consistently let the music itself shine through, reproducing it with a sound that was always detailed, accurate, and balanced. Parasound Products was founded in 1981, in San Francisco, by Richard Schram, whose mission was to provide value for the money to his customers. As Parasound defines it, value begins to decline when additional cost provides only marginal and diminishing returns, and increases when a product is reliably functional over decades. While their focus was clearly on sound and build quality rather than a long list of features, they’ve nonetheless provided enough flexibility to satisfy a variety of users. The aural images of the instruments on this intimate recording of an acoustic jazz quintet were also more defined through the Halo. The punctuated call-and-response phrasing later in the work was also quite clear. I purchased the Parasound A23 amd with the P3 preamp and the T3 tuner with a pair of Paridigm 60/v2 speakers. In the extensive write-up provided in the Owner’s Guide, Parasound design consultant John Curl says: “The circuits I design for Parasound are extremely sophisticated and are typical of products that are far more expensive. The A23… This is pop music as film soundtrack -- the Parasound delivered the roller-coaster with impressively expressive dynamics on a soundstage populated by detailed aural images. 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